Circular-knitting machine.



No. 762,142. PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904. H. CLARKE.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MAOHIN-E.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9. 1901.

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H. CLARKE. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

I APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 9, 1901.

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UNITED STATES Patented June '7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY CLARKE, OF LENTON, NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT FREDERICK BLAIR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

SIPECIFIGATIOID'. forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,142, dated June 7, 1904.

Application filed December 9, 1901. Serial No. 85.279. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY CLARKE, hosiery manufacturer, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 31 Sherwin road, Lenton, Nottingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular- Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to circular-knitting.

machines, and has reference more particularly to machines in which splicing or striping mechanism is employed.

An important feature of the invention consists in a special switch arrangement for automatically throwing the splicing-gear into and out of action.

A further feature consists in providing simple means whereby all the idle floating threads are caused to break themselves after a splicing operation, thus dispensing with cutting devices.

Figure 1 is a general side elevation, partly broken away, of the upper part of the machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the splicing-guides, the adjacent parts of the machine being in diametrical section to show the needle-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan of the said splicing-guides. Fig. 4 shows in side view the improved switch arrange ment above referred to. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of a convenient pattern-chain mechanism for controlling the said switch arrangement. Figs. (land 7 are diagrammatic views in plan and vertical section, respectively,showing the means for breaking the splicingthreads.

(0 is the table of the machine.

a represents the bobbins or cops.

5 represents standards supporting the table.

0 is the stationary cam-ring, and d is the needle-cylinder revolving inside said ring.

0 represents the yarn-feeders, of which there may be any desired number-say sixteen or morearranged around the machine and carried by a supporting-ring 0. Only one feeder with its associated parts is here shown for the sake of clearness, the others being obviously duplicates thereof.

' The feeders 0 are recessed at a to allow the ends of the guides to come down level with the feed-eyes f.

The arrangement for operating the splicingguide is as follows: is a pusher-rod, and g a link connecting the splicing-guide with a lever h under the table a. This lever has a friction-roller 7;, on which acts a flat annular segment 6, carried on a flange a of the needlecylinder. This segment is provided with extension-pieces 2", secured to it by lap-plates so that its length can be varied as desired. At its forward extremity the segment a carries a movable piece or switch 7', which is hinged at 7", so that it'can be made to assume either the full-line or dotted position. In the example shown the switch is controlled by a pattern-chain in, carrying studs Z.

m is a lever pivoted at m and acted on by the studs.-

12 is a pusher-bolt carried by guides 72/. It is moved one way by the lever m and the other way by a reacting spring 11 0 is a star-wheel whose axle 0 is carried in a bearing 0 on the segment The arms of this wheel are arranged to strike the bolt n when it is thrust inward by the lever m.

p is a cam on the boss of the star-wheel, and

q is a forked lever pivoted at q and acted on gages a ratchet-wheel 76, secured to and forming one with the chain-wheels k of the chain is. In engagement with the lever t is a horizontally-swinging arm or lever n, operated by an edge cam u on the flange a of the needle-cylinder.

t is a retracting-spring for drawing back the lever t after it has been caused to make a stroke by the lever a.

In connection with each splicing-guide is an adjustable stop '10, having its upper end w forked. It is secured to the guide-pillar 10 by a bolt working through a slotted hole, so that it can be raised or lowered-slightly to adjust the stroke of the guide and insure the point thereof coming into the exact position when depressed. To permit of such adjustment, the pusher-rod g is connected with the end of the guide by a screw-stud 00, passing through a slotted eye 9' in said rod. The stud is not screwed up quite tight, but is so set that it has a sli 'iping grip on the rod sufiicient to actuate the lever and yet allow a certain play or lost motion.

Suitable eye-pins an are provided for the yarns to pass through.

The arrangement for breaking the yarn consists simply of a central rod 1 ,of round, square, or other section and either smooth or roughened, which extends down into the needle-cylinder axially and terminates a little way below the top edge thereof. The rod 1 is intended for the splicing-yarns to wind themselves onto and break, as hereinafter described. It is car ried by a fixed cross-bar .2, supported on uprights 2' on the table a.

The action of the machine is as follows: When the machine is working normally, the splicing-guides g are above the feeders a, as in Fig. 1, and the machine produces plain tubular material. At this time the switch 7' is horizontal, so that as it is carried round it misses the roller 71. and does not affect the guides. All this time, however, the cam o is reciprocating the levers a t, and the pawl .9 is feeding the chain round. This continues until a stud Z on the chain reaches and presses back the levcrm,thereby thrusting the pusherbolt 72. toward the cylinder, where it lies in the path of the star-wheel 0. As the cylinder comes round, an arm of the star-wheel strikes the bolt and receives a quarter-turn (or, as the case may be,depending on the number of arms.) This reverses the cam 19 and fork-lever q, so depressing the switch which then as it travels round comes under the roller 7/ and lifts it up onto the segment 2', at the same time, through the lever 7L, link 7, and rod 9", depressing the guide g until its point rests in the recess 0' of the feeder c. This action occurs successively at each guide all round the machine, and the splicing-threads are then caught and knitted in by the needles. The number of courses which are thus spliced depends on the length of the segment 71, which, as stated, can be 'varied by means of the extension-pieces vi. When the splicing is to be stopped, the next stud on the chain presses in the bolt 91 and imparts another quarter-turn to the cam 32 and again brings the switch 7' into a horizontal position. The levers it thus remain down and the splicing-guides g are raised out of action. When the splicing ceases, the threads g require to be cut or broken to prevent the formation of floating threads. According to this invention they are broken by the action illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 When the splicing guide is lifted up out of the way, its thread is at first simply drawn out by the work as the latter travels round in the manner indicated in Fig. 6. .I/Vhen, however, the idle thread reaches the diametrical position, it begins to wind itself around the central rod y, and this continues for one or two revolutions. (See Fig. 7.) As the part of the thread between the rod and the work is thus wound up it pulls the work toward the rod, as indicated, until at last the tension becomes so 'great that the thread snaps. tween the guide and the rod is left ready for the next splicing action. Although only one thread is shown, yet it is to be understood that all the splicing-threads are wound upon the rod and broken simultaneously.

It will be seen that the disposition of the studs Z on the pattern-chain controls, through the switch 1', the action of the splicing-guides.

The invention can be used for producing either plain, striped, or tuck work, according to the arrangement of the cams and needles.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a splicing-guide, a revolving segment, a switch at the end of said segment, means for intermittently shifting the switch, and means normally out of contact with the switch and segment and operable thereby during the revolution of the segment, for putting the splicing-guide into action.

2. In a knitting-machine, the combination of splicing mechanism, a switch and segment for actuating said mechanism, and a patternchain arrangement for controlling said switch, substantially as described.

3. In a knitting-machine, the combination of splicing mechanism, a revolving needle cylinder and knitting mechanism, a segment carried by said cylinder, means operable by said segment for putting the splicing mechanism in action, a switch on the forward end of said segment, a star-wheel and cam mounted on the segment, a forked lever actuated by said cam and operating the switch, and pattern-chain mechanism for operating the starwheel, substantially. as described.

4. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a splicing-guide, a revolving segment, a switch at the end of said segment, a patternchain provided with studs, a pusher-bolt controlled by said studs, means for feeding said pattern-chain, mechanism operable by the pusher-bolt for shifting the switch, and means normally out of contact with and operable at The part be- I intervals by said switch and segment for put- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ting the splicing-guide into action. my hand, in presence of two subscribing wit- 5. In a knitting-machine having splicing nesses, this 6th day of November, 1901.

mechanism, the combination of a swinging HARRY CLARKE.

splicing-guide, an adjustable stop therefor, WVitnesses:

and a feeder notched to receive the end of DOUGLAS E. STORER,

said guide, substantially as described. 'THos. H. CooK. 

